Your association's board of directors continues its efforts to strengthen support to AIA people recognition programs and promote activities which highlight the organization's rich heritage of military service. I'm pleased to report that both individual membership and Vigilant Partner program participation are in solid shape, and the association's financial condition is strong.

In particular, I want to recognize the outstanding job Ron Haygood has done as the AIA Liaison to FTVA. He will be retiring from active duty on 31 March 2006. Two of our lifetime members, Grover McMakin and Bill Ballard have stepped down from the board. Ken Williams has taken over for Grover as the social committee chairman. Bob Sherwood has taken over as the Hall of Honor selection committee chairman from Bill Ballard. The FTVA board will host a dinner on 25 March to honor Grover and Bill for their long, outstanding support to FTVA. They will both be missed.

In March, your association will lend its financial support to the AIA Annual Awards Week activities and we'll make a presentation about FTVA's mission and activities to participants from all parts of the AIA family. This event recognizes outstanding people from the ranks of AIA's officers, enlisted, and civilians. They'll participate in a series of briefings and panels that provide the "big picture” on AIA, and our presentation will describe the linkage between the agency and our association. The FTVA will sponsor a luncheon for nominees on 7 March at La Margarita Restaurant.

We're in the initial stages of planning and coordination for this year's reunion, which will be conducted 28-30 September. This year we'll be playing golf at the Alsatian Country Club in Castroville, a few miles west of San Antonio. Full details on the reunion will be in the mail to you as soon as possible.

Elsewhere in this newsletter, you'll find an article soliciting Hall of Honor recommendations. Also, the pullout form used for submitting nominees is in the center of the newsletter. I strongly encourage each of you to consider all of the professionals you served with, what their contributions to the command mission were, and to nominate one or more of them whose performance meets the standards established for Hall of Honor membership.

One of the more enjoyable features in our association newsletters is the "war stories" and other remembrances our members have of significant events in our command's history. Our editor, Dan D'Apolito, is always on the lookout for items like this, and he's delighted to put your submissions into print. I'm sure virtually every one of us has a favorite recollection that others would enjoy reading, so send your "cards and letters” to Dap for future newsletters.

For our many members in Central and South Texas, you'll be getting an invitation to our spring social, which will take place on 20 May. More information will be provided later.